RACHEL JOHNSON
Staff Writer
Primary season pressed on for both Democrats and Republicans as they squared off yet again in Nevada last weekend. Though the primaries took place in the same state, they couldn’t have been any more different. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D—N.Y., won a close contest over Sen. Barack Obama, D—Ill., (John Edwards placed a distant third) while Mitt Romney was basically the only Republican frontrunner that took the time to secure a victory in Nevada.
Clinton won 51 percent of the primary vote while Obama earned 46 percent of the vote. Edwards straggled behind with a meager four percent of the votes. The Nevada constituency was a target for the Democratic Party because political analysts anticipated that many Hispanics and women (demographic regions typically aligned with leftist policies) would make their presence known at the caucus.
Romney easily won the Republican vote in Nevada essentially because he was one of the few candidates who campaigned there. On the same day, competitors John McCain and Mike Huckabee duked it out in South Carolina, a more publicized primary for the Republican party. McCain secured a win with just 33 percent of the vote while Huckabee barely lost with 30 percent of the vote.
The Democrats have not yet had their Jan. 26 primary in South Carolina, but as the debate earlier this week showed, it is sure to be a tough fight between the three candidates.
Primary season is entertaining because it illustrates the differences in demographic makeup between the states. Observing which candidates focus on which states and for what reasons highlight party platforms. The Nevada primary is a perfect example: Democrats cared because many of their typical constituents live there; Republicans didn’t because many of their typical constituents don’t. We will see if the same rule applies for the Democrats in South Carolina and for both parties in Florida.
The primary race is truly a game. It seems that candidates care less about appealing to the whole than they care about appealing to the part, as evidenced by the fact that McCain and Huckabee basically deemed Nevada constituents useless by being unwilling to spend their time campaigning there.
Granted, there is a strategy in place that has been established throughout history. Certain primaries have become famous and publicized more than others and for usually no apparent rhyme or reason. Iowa and New Hampshire are perfect examples — during primary season, they are the supreme states. For the rest of the time, they are ordinary states that most people can’t locate on a map (ask Miss South Carolina — she knows a lot about maps).
So the big state that’s up next is Florida on Jan. 29. After the Democrats hold their Jan. 26 primary in South Carolina, both parties are off to the Sunshine State known best for the drama its constituents caused for George W. Bush and Al Gore back in 2000.
Again, we will be able to notice the differences in party makeup by how the candidates campaign to the Floridians. Republicans are sure to target conservative, wealthy retirees who live in the coastal retirement communities. Ethnic ties will again play a decisive role for the Democrats. Obama is sure to target black voters; as reported on usnews.com through author Michael Barone’s blog, the Nevada entrance poll showed that blacks favored Obama (83 percent) over Clinton (14 percent). The same blog reports that Clinton appealed more to Hispanic voters (64 percent to Obama’s 26 percent) and Jewish voters (67 percent to 25 percent).
Obviously, demographic statistics can only imply so much. Not every person from every race or background will vote the same. But many statistics are relatively consistent and aid candidates in creating campaign tactics. They separate the Democrats from the Republicans, making some states more important to one party and others more important to the other party.
Florida will be a test to see if the statistics prove themselves to be true. Hopefully the primary there will clarify who we may see competing for the presidency later this year because right now it is all up in the air.
01-24-2008
